The Aloe Read Online Free Page A

candle.” “No. Hush, go to sleep.” “Well kin I have the door left open?” She rolled herself into a round. But she did not go to sleep. From All over the house came the sound of steps – The house itself creaked and popped – Loud whispery voices rose and fell. Once she heard Aunt Beryl’s – rush of high laughter. Once there came a loud trumpeting from Burnell blowing his nose. Outside the windows hundreds of black cats with yellow eyes sat in the sky watching her but she was not frightened –
    Lottie was saying to Isabel – “I’m going to say my prayers in bed to-night –” “No you can’t Lottie.” Isabel was very firm. “God only excuses you saying your prayers in bed if you’ve got a temperature.” So Lottie yielded –
    “Gentle Jesus meek an mile
    Look ’pon little chile
    Pity me simple Lizzie
    Suffer me come to thee.
    Fain would I to thee be brought
    Dearest Lor’ forbd it not
    In the Kinkdom of thy grace
    Make a little chile a place – Amen.”
    And then they lay down back to back their little behinds just touching and fell asleep.
    Standing in a pool of moonlight Beryl Fairfield undressed herself – she was tired but she pretended to be more tired than she really was – letting her clothes fall – pushing back with a charming gesture her warm heavy hair – “Oh how tired I am very tired” – she shut her eyes a moment but her lips smiled – her breath rose and fell in her breast like fairy wings. The window was open it was warm and still. Somewhere out there in the garden a young man dark and slender with mocking eyes, tip toed among the bushes and gathered the garden into a big bouquet and slipped under her window and held it up to her – She saw herself bending forward – He thrust his head among the white waxy flowers – “No no,” said Beryl. She turned from the window she dropped her night gown over her head – “How frightfully unreasonable Stanley is sometimes,” she thought buttoning – and then as she lay down came the old thought the cruel leaping thought “if I had money” only to be shaken off and beaten down by calling to her rescue her endless pack of dreams – A young man immensely rich just arrived from England meets her quite by chance. The new Governor is married. There is a ball at Government House to celebrate his wedding. Who is that exquisite creature in eau de nil satin Beryl Fairfield.
    “The thing that pleases me” said Stanley leaning against the side of the bed in his shirt and giving himself a good scratch before turning in – “is that, on strict q.T. Linda I’ve got the place dirt cheap – I was talking about it to little Teddy Dean today and he said he simply couldn’t understand why they’d accepted my figure you see land about here is bound to become more and more valuable – look in about ten years time . . . Of course we shall have to go very slow from now on and keep down expenses – cut ’em as fine as possible. Not asleep, are you.” “No dear I’m listening –” said Linda. He sprang into bed leaned over her and blew out the candle. “Goodnight, Mr Business man” she said and she took hold of his head by the ears and gave him a quick kiss. Her faint far away voice seemed to come from a deep well – “Goodnight, darling.” He slipped his arm under her neck and drew her to him . . . “Yes, clasp me,” she said faintly, in her far away sleeping voice . . . .
    Pat the handy man sprawled in his little room behind the kitchen. His sponge bag coat and trousers hung from the door peg like a hanged man. From the blanket edge his twisted feet protruded – and on the floor of his room there was an empty cane bird cage. He looked like a comic picture.
    “Honk – honk” came from the snoring servant girl next door she had adenoids.
    Last to go to bed was the Grandmother.
    “What – not asleep yet.” “No – I’m waiting for you,” said Kezia. The old woman sighed and lay down beside her. Kezia thrust her head